Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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22 UCW FEBRUARY 4-10, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Sweetheart's Dance February 14th Admission Free • 8 p.m. Call for more information 4624 BRAGG BLVD. You do not have to be in the snow to be cold when riding a motorcycle. Actually, your body is in tune with every degree around you. Many people enjoy riding when it is in the 60s or 70s, but when the tem- perature drops, the body and mind begin to compensate in strange ways. People often use the words "I'm freezing to death," but what they are really experiencing is hypothermia. Unlike water, which freezes at 32 degrees, humans can die of hypothermia even in mild weather conditions. The human body reacts to cold weather depending on a person's age, body mass, body fat, overall health and length of time exposed to cold temperatures. Medically, the body's temperature averages 98.6 degrees. With hypother- mia, the body's core temperature drops below 95 degrees. In severe hypo- thermia, core body temperature can drop to 82 degrees or lower. We do not actually die from freezing to death, but we die because of hypothermia. As our body's core temperature decreases, the body also tries its best to com- pensate. At this point, it becomes extremely dangerous to ride. As the body cools, it develops a variety of symptoms: shivering, slow shal- low breathing, confusion, memory loss, drowsiness, exhaustion, slurred or mumbled speech, loss of coordination, fumbling hands, stumbling steps, slow or weak pulse. Ninety percent of body heat escapes out through the skin. Heat is lost through radiation and speeds up when the skin is exposed to wind or moisture. To com- pensate for this, we have to hold the heat in. We can do this by wearing layered clothing; waterproof everything and electric clothing. The neck is very sensitive to cold when riding a motorcycle. There is little protection around the carotid arteries. Here, the heart is pumping blood to the brain. If the blood is cooled and the brain is slow to respond, bad things can happen. I always carry a balaclava to keep my neck and head warm. Staying dry is not only about comfort, it is important in keeping your core temperature up. The body cools 25 percent faster when exposed to moisture. GORTEX is a popular fabric known for wicking moisture away from the body, but GORTEX is a very thin fabric. GORTEX alone will not protect you from getting cold. Depending on the situation, rain gear adds a wonderful and useful layer. It helps to hold heat in and protects against the outside elements. The hands are a very sensitive extremity. Always carry gloves. Usually, I carry at least three different pair depending on the season. Waterproof gloves are part of my everyday gear in my pack. On cold days, I have GORTEX gloves. On extreme cold days, I have a pair of electric gloves that attach to my electric jacket. I also have heated grips. If your bike does not have heated grips, you can find a variety of aftermarket grips for a few hundred dollars. If you find you're having a hard time with coordination or memory, you are already in trouble. If you are with a friend, keep an eye on them. Help each other out and double-check each other. Eye protection should always be a priority. During the research for this article, I was unable to find out if we lose heat through the eye sockets. When I was in the Army, we often trained in cold weather. After awhile, I made it a point to always keep sunglasses on during the day and at night (even while sleeping). I kept my clear pair of safety glasses on because it helps to keep you warm. Although I could not find a study about this (which means the first 30 hits on Google), the eye does contain a good amount of fluid. We have tear ducts, which moisturize our eyes. When the wind passes over the eyes, it makes the eyes feel cooler so we lose heat quicker. Even with my face shield down, I wear a pair of glasses and somehow I feel warmer. The other 10 percent is lost through exhaling. There is not much you can do about this but to try and control your breathing. Once you have done all you can to stay warm, here are a few tips to keep you safe. Learn your body and remember how to dress for success. Learn to dress for various temperatures. It is easier to stay warm than it is to get warm. Plan on bad weather and be prepared. Take plenty of breaks. Get off your bike and walk a few minutes to get your blood circulating again and to let your body warm up. Learn when to park it. Stay alert! Stay alive! If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE! Hypothermia by JIM JONES This picture was taken a couple of years ago outside of Spring Lake. FEBRUARY 7 • AFMC NC3 ANNIVERSARY PARTY at the AFMC NC3 Club House, 2663 Everitte St., Fayetteville. Free food, pool, music and entertainment. Call 910-897-8861 for information. APRIL 11 • NC BUFFALO SOLDIERS M/C OF FAYETTEVILLE 5TH ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS CHARTY RIDE at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd Fayetteville, NC. This is a Charity Motorcycle Ride, Police escorted, to raise funds to benefit the Community.Registration 9:30a.m. Kickstands-up 10:30 a.m. $15-Riders and $5 passenger, Food/ Refreshment/Door Prizes For more information call 910-494-4513. APRIL 25 • NAM KNIGHTS OF AMERICA MC "TARHEEL CHAPTER" CLUBHOUSE in Spring Lake. Food. Music. Gates open 4 p.m. Call 910-514-8614 for information. MAY 9 • TORCH RUN CHARITY RIDE Retired Military Association Bldg Parking Lot, Registration and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. Ride begins at 9:30 a.m.$15.00 per rider or passenger. Price covers ride, breakfast and lunch. Rain Date: Saturday, May 16. For more information, call 824- 4208. PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse group of patriots from every state that come together to honor fallen soldiers at funeral services across the country. Visit www.patriotguard.org for more information about the group. JIM JONES, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. Invest In Advertising Opportunities We can show you how to market your business! 910.484.6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com